| "La Tortura" | ||||
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| Single by Shakira featuring Alejandro Sanz | ||||
| from the album Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 | ||||
| Language | Spanish | |||
| English title | "The Torture" | |||
| Released | 11 April 2005 | |||
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| Length | 3:34 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
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| Shakira singles chronology | ||||
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| Alejandro Sanz singles chronology | ||||
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"La Tortura" (English: "The Torture") is a song by Colombian singer Shakira, featuring Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz, from Shakira's sixth studio album, Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005). The song was written and produced by Shakira, with additional writing and production from longtime collaborators Luis Fernando Ochoa and Lester Mendez, respectively. It was released on 11 April 2005, by Epic Records, as the lead single from the album. "La Tortura" is a pop, reggaeton, and dancehall track, which lyrically tells the story of a woman who has been emotionally "tortured" because her boyfriend cheated and eventually left her for another, and has now returned begging forgiveness.
Upon its release, "La Tortura" received generally positive reviews by music critics, who agreed that the song was a highlight from Fijación Oral, Vol. 1; they were also ambivalent towards its "Shaketon Mix". It was well received commercially, reaching number one in several countries worldwide, including Hungary, Spain and Venezuela. In the United States, the single reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 (giving Sanz his only entry on said chart), while topping the Hot Latin Songs chart for 25 non-consecutive weeks. It was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for a million digital copies sold in the region. "La Tortura" received multiple awards and nominations, including the Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
The music video for "La Tortura" was directed by Michael Haussman and became one of the first Spanish music videos to be aired on MTV. It depicts Sanz spying on Shakira in her apartment, as they remember the times when they were a couple; Shakira also appears dancing erotically on a building's roof, covered with black greasepaint. To promote the single, she performed it on several televised shows and events, and was included on setlists for three of her concert tours, the last being the El Dorado World Tour (2018). "La Tortura" is one of the best selling singles of all time with more than five million copies sold. The song was covered by Puerto Rican singer Gilberto Santa Rosa and has been credited for popularizing reggaeton in North America, Europe, and Asia.